Carroll rose and became in a moment intent and eager. “Tell him I’ll be down almost as soon as he is,” he said. “You’ll have to excuse me.”
Two minutes later, he left the house, and fervent good wishes followed him from the party on the stoop. He did not stop to acknowledge them, but shortly afterwards the blast of a whistle came ringing across the roofs from beside the water-front.
[CHAPTER XXX—CONVINCING TESTIMONY.]
One afternoon three or four days after Carroll had sailed, Evelyn sat alone in Mrs. Nairn’s drawing-room, a prey to confused regrets and keen anxiety. She had recovered from the first shock caused by Carroll’s news, but though she could face the situation more calmly, she could find no comfort anywhere—Vane was lying helpless and famishing, in the frost-bound wilderness. She knew she loved the man; indeed, she had really known it for some time, and it was that which had made Jessie’s revelation so bitter. Now, fastidious in thought and feeling as she was, she wondered if she had been too hard upon him; it was becoming more and more difficult to believe that he could have justified her disgust and anger, but this was not what troubled her most. She had sent him away with cold disfavour; he was threatened by many dangers; it was horrible to think of what might befall him before assistance arrived, and yet she could not drive the haunting dread out of her mind.
She was in this mood when a maid announced that two visitors wished to see her; and when they were shown in, she found it difficult to hide her astonishment as she recognised in Kitty the very attractive girl she had once seen in Vane’s company. It was this which prompted her to assume a chilling manner, though she asked her guests to be seated. Neither of them appeared altogether at her ease, and there was, indeed, a rather ominous sparkle in Kitty’s blue eyes. The latter began the conversation.
“Mr. Carroll was in town not long ago,” she said. “Have you had any news of him since he sailed?”
Evelyn did not know what to make of the question, and she answered coldly: “No; we do not expect any word for some time.”
“I’m sorry,” said Kitty. “We’re anxious about Mr. Vane.”
On the surface, the announcement appeared significant, but the girls’ boldness in coming to her for news was unexplainable to Evelyn. Puzzled as she was, her attitude became more discouraging.
“You know him, then?” she said.